well. We depart for my mother’s tomorrow afternoon. And remember Sophia and Ralph will be here for luncheon before that. I daresay they are keen to see how we fare.’
She waited until the door had closed behind him before prostrating herself flat on the bed and looking up at the ceiling. The sensation of his lips against hers lingered disturbingly even though it had been the mildest of kisses, and she touched her mouth questioningly with her fingers. He disconcerted her. In every way her new husband disconcerted her. And she didn ’t like it.
CHAPTER SIX
‘Oh, Isi, I do not need to ask you how you are getting on, it is so obvious from the look of you. You are looking a hundred times better than you have done in many a year.’
The men had disappeared off so that Guy could show Ralph a new horse he had acquired and the ladies sat in the large morning room supping tea while Sophia ’s little daughter played on the hearth.
‘ Why thank you, Sophia,’ Isabelle smiled wryly. ‘Did I really look so awful before?’
‘ You looked dreadful,’ her friend declared, ‘but there was no point me telling you as I knew there was nothing to be done to change the circumstances.’
‘ I don’t think I would have survived the last few years without the support of you and Ralph and our secret meetings.’
‘ I was always so worried that your husband would find out and do something terrible to you.’
‘ So was I. However, he didn’t and I survived. As I am surviving again now.’
‘ But Guy is not like the Earl?’ For a moment Sophia looked horrified.
‘ No. No, not at all. He could not be more accommodating.’
‘ That I think is a slight exaggeration,’ her friend smiled, relaxing again. ‘But I am glad to hear it. He is not the easiest of characters I know.’
‘ No.’
‘ So - you have been married a little over a month now.’ She cast around quickly to make sure no other adult was in the room. ‘Are your other fears resolved?’ she whispered.
‘ My other fears?’
‘ Yes, your fears surrounding a certain subject. ’
A conspiratorial note had crept into her voice and despite herself, Isabelle couldn't help smiling. ‘You are incorrigible,’ she said. But then her expression sobered again as she hesitated.
‘ Not exactly.’
‘ What does that mean?’
‘ Sophia.’
‘ Pah, do not preach to me about the impropriety of discussing such subjects. If you cannot talk to me, who else can you talk to? And remember I too was in a situation not dissimilar to yours.’
‘ Hardly,’ her friend returned dryly. ‘I do not think you could ever compare Ralph to my first husband. Or Guy.’
She sighed. ‘It is very difficult. We have not yet … become intimate.’
‘ Oh, Isi, that must change. It is not good for either of you - and really there is nothing to fear, believe me.’ If it was possible for Sophia to blush, she did, though her eyes were saucy. ‘Indeed, you do not know what you are missing.’
‘ Oh, Sophia, I think I do. I am clearly not like you. I am a cold fish, I know that. I cannot bear the thought of being touched again - violated.’
Her friend reached out a hand to touch her arm. ‘Isabelle, I know I am something of an innocent in the ways of the world and I cannot begin to imagine how your first husband must have hurt you. But believe me when I say it is not always like that, and I cannot believe that Guy, difficult though he can sometimes be, would physically harm you in any way. He is too honourable a man. You must surely at least give him a chance?’
‘ Coming on the back of the conversation she had had with Guy last night, Isabelle shook her head dispiritedly. ‘I’m not sure I can-’
She broke off as the door opened, heralding the return of the two men from their trip to the stables.
‘Ye Gods, it is cold out there,’ Ralph said, rubbing his hands and moving to stand by the
She waited until the door had closed behind him before prostrating herself flat on the bed and looking up at the ceiling. The sensation of his lips against hers lingered disturbingly even though it had been the mildest of kisses, and she touched her mouth questioningly with her fingers. He disconcerted her. In every way her new husband disconcerted her. And she didn ’t like it.
CHAPTER SIX
‘Oh, Isi, I do not need to ask you how you are getting on, it is so obvious from the look of you. You are looking a hundred times better than you have done in many a year.’
The men had disappeared off so that Guy could show Ralph a new horse he had acquired and the ladies sat in the large morning room supping tea while Sophia ’s little daughter played on the hearth.
‘ Why thank you, Sophia,’ Isabelle smiled wryly. ‘Did I really look so awful before?’
‘ You looked dreadful,’ her friend declared, ‘but there was no point me telling you as I knew there was nothing to be done to change the circumstances.’
‘ I don’t think I would have survived the last few years without the support of you and Ralph and our secret meetings.’
‘ I was always so worried that your husband would find out and do something terrible to you.’
‘ So was I. However, he didn’t and I survived. As I am surviving again now.’
‘ But Guy is not like the Earl?’ For a moment Sophia looked horrified.
‘ No. No, not at all. He could not be more accommodating.’
‘ That I think is a slight exaggeration,’ her friend smiled, relaxing again. ‘But I am glad to hear it. He is not the easiest of characters I know.’
‘ No.’
‘ So - you have been married a little over a month now.’ She cast around quickly to make sure no other adult was in the room. ‘Are your other fears resolved?’ she whispered.
‘ My other fears?’
‘ Yes, your fears surrounding a certain subject. ’
A conspiratorial note had crept into her voice and despite herself, Isabelle couldn't help smiling. ‘You are incorrigible,’ she said. But then her expression sobered again as she hesitated.
‘ Not exactly.’
‘ What does that mean?’
‘ Sophia.’
‘ Pah, do not preach to me about the impropriety of discussing such subjects. If you cannot talk to me, who else can you talk to? And remember I too was in a situation not dissimilar to yours.’
‘ Hardly,’ her friend returned dryly. ‘I do not think you could ever compare Ralph to my first husband. Or Guy.’
She sighed. ‘It is very difficult. We have not yet … become intimate.’
‘ Oh, Isi, that must change. It is not good for either of you - and really there is nothing to fear, believe me.’ If it was possible for Sophia to blush, she did, though her eyes were saucy. ‘Indeed, you do not know what you are missing.’
‘ Oh, Sophia, I think I do. I am clearly not like you. I am a cold fish, I know that. I cannot bear the thought of being touched again - violated.’
Her friend reached out a hand to touch her arm. ‘Isabelle, I know I am something of an innocent in the ways of the world and I cannot begin to imagine how your first husband must have hurt you. But believe me when I say it is not always like that, and I cannot believe that Guy, difficult though he can sometimes be, would physically harm you in any way. He is too honourable a man. You must surely at least give him a chance?’
‘ Coming on the back of the conversation she had had with Guy last night, Isabelle shook her head dispiritedly. ‘I’m not sure I can-’
She broke off as the door opened, heralding the return of the two men from their trip to the stables.
‘Ye Gods, it is cold out there,’ Ralph said, rubbing his hands and moving to stand by the
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